The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-12-30

caught has breath and m ide Al sttcmpt
to talk.
sc-se-secn him!" he gasped.
sWho7'' aB
IA wi-wi-wildm anr' g
"WHURe"
That ''whur" expressed volumes Of
inter- ,gatioa and was 90 emphatic that
the ringer discussion was dropped.
'In the Big Timber" All answered.
recovering his breath somewhat
"Tell us all about it," cried several.
Alb. seemed to swell with his own inn
portance As he began oratoricaliy:
II was sorter creepin' long wen I
ycarcd mighty funny noise. creep
up. an peekin' through the haw bushes.
1 saw"
.'The wild MANI" interrupted an
eager voice.
'.Nawr' snorted Alb! 'Twas the big
gcst coon ever 1 seen. Must weigh
ed"
"Blame the coon! Tell MS about the
wild mani" broke in several voices
Thus admonished, Alb. proceeded:
jest as was looscnin' up the trap
spring. I yeared sumpin' behind me.
Hooked round, an good gov'ner!"
"What?"
"Thc wild man stood there within
four feet of me! 1 Jest stood there
with my mouth open. Couldn't said
. word If I'd a-be'n killed for it My
foot was on the trap spring an the
coon wiggled out an started to limp
away The wild man few ut him like
y wolf. an killed him with two ticks of
his big club. As soon as he went for
the coon. 1 sorter came to myself. an
broke out through the timber like the
dickens before daylight! Hooked back
onct. an the wild man was goin' the
other way. draggin' the coon. Biggest
coon ever seen. Bethe--"
But eager questions interrupted Alb.
again. and the description of the coon
remained unfinished. From Abs ex-
cited description. it was learned that.
although no taller than an average
boy. the wild man was hideously de-
formed. being the Possessor of body
distorted nearly out of all like
ness to a human form.
II Abs testimony was to be
believed. the wild mans appearance
was enough to brighten timid person
into fits. He had claws. Alb. affirmed.
and teeth as sharp as those of wolf.
The crowning horror msdc the listen
ers hold their breath in astonishment
only to burst out moment later with a
great "wal!" of amazemcnt
HE hadn't but one eye." Alb. said,
proudly. "an' that was square in the
middle of his forehead, an was red an
CLOWN like coal of fret So clatcd
was Alb. at his sudden popularity that
he hardly realized where fact ended
and fancy began. He paused and a
chorus of excited voices arose.
"Thar!' said Phin Dozak, 'that
thars jest watts ben stealin' our
shoats an chickens. No longer ago
than yistiddy. l told old man Bower
that bet that"
"Shucks!" sneercd Perdue, the mer-
chant.
"Walr' retorted Phin. "you kin
shucks all you want to. but hits fact.
Didn't l tell you. Bower"
But old man Bower was already
rod down the road and the little crowd
was melting rapidly away. all intent
upon being the first to retail the news
at home. Phin joined the rush and no
one knows what he really had said to
old man Bower.
Every trace of apathy had disappear
cd from Radical City Ser the sun went
down.
Ameeting was held at Perdue's store
that night. After several more or less
eloquent speeches it was decided that
the wild man must be gotten rid of.
.Nho Knows" cried one self-ap-
pointed orator. ''but W at the monster
has stoid away our leetlc child'en an
eaten 'em alive?"
This was received with groans OF
horror. No children. large or small.
were missing. but that fact was not
taken into consideration.
mo doubt that thar was the fate
that overlook Jake Elder" the orator
continued.
The truth was that Jake had disap-
appeared from Radical City. leaving
behind him a small mountain of debt.
The stage driver reported having seen
him at BaconvilIe next day. but in spite
of this the theory that the wild man had
eaten him was generally accepted.
All the women and children of the
"city" were present for the reason that
thoy were afraid to remain at home.
As before, the only two persons who
were absent were old man Bitley
and Alb. Stacker. These two were en-
gagged in earnest conversation in the
front ROOM of the little house where
the farmer ''batched" alone.
"Ab.," old man Bitle.r was saying.
with nod of his white wrapped head.
by way of emphasis. .thar's right